Automatic frequency control apparatus



E. o. KEIZER 2,891,105

AUTOMATIC FREQUENCY CONTROL APPARATUS l Filed Sept. 23. 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 zwzomdmmo .OZ l l mz aux.: IA,

June 16, 1959 mi( Omo.) A

June 16, 1959 E. o. KEIZER AUTOMATIC FREQUENCY CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Sept. 25, 1953- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 om wm ATTORNEY wir..

AUTGMATIC FREQUENCY CONTROL APPARATUS Eugene 'Orville Keizer, Princeton, NJ., assigner to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Application September 23, 1953, Serial No. 381,950

2 Claims. (Cl. 1'78-5.8)

The present invention relates to new and improved automatic frequency control (AFC) apparatus.

More particularly, although not necessarily exclusively, the invention relates to apparatus for maintaining substantially constant thetuning of a local oscillator in a superheterodyne receiver and is particularly well suited for use in conjunction with a television receiver of the intercarrier sound variety.

As described in detail in U.S. Patent No. 2,448,908, granted September 7, 1948, to L. W. Parker, intercarrier sound receivers make use of the fact that, according to present day television standards, the video information and sound infomation are transmitted by amplitudeand frequency-modulation, respectively, of carrier waves whose center frequencies are separated by a fixed amount such as 4.5 mc. Thus, in a superheterodyne intercarrier sound receiver the video and sound carrier waves are heterodyned with the output of a local oscillator to produce corresponding intermediate frequency (IF) waves which are similarly separated by 4.5 mc. The two IF waves are then heterodyned with each other in the receivers second or video detector to produce a beat frequency of 4.5 mc. which is taken off and, after amplification in one or more sound IF stages, demodulated in a ratio detector, for example.

While one advantage of intercarrier sound is the relative latitude which it affords for frequency drift, some form of automatic frequency control is often desirable, particularly in the case of ultra high frequency television. As is well known, there have been various proposals for AFC systems including that described and claimed in the L' nited States Patent copending U.S. patent application of Gordon F. Rogers,

Serial No. 173,981, iiled July l5, 1950. In the Rogers application, for example, there is described an AFC system for use with an intercarrier sound receiver in which the beat frequency between the video and sound IF waves produced in the second detector is applied to a frequency multiplier whose output is measured with: one of the original IF waves and applied to a frequency discriminator which produces a control voltage for varying a reactance tube in proper manner to control the frequency of the receivers local oscillator.

The present invention has as a primary object that of providing simplified means for affording automatic frequency control in a television receiver of the intercarrier sound type.

Another object of the invention is to provide automatic frequency control means for a television receiver of the type described, which means utilizes advantageously certain signals developed within the conventional circuitry existing in present day receivers.

In general, the present invention contemplates the proy 2,891,105 Patented June 16, 1959 Vice 2 current of the sound IF stage varies proportionately, thereby affording a locally generated indication of the degree of mistuning. This signal is, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, applied to a suitable frequency control circuit for the local oscillator, such as a reactance tube, for example.

According to another form of the invention, the control signal for the oscillator frequency control means is derived from a point in the ratio detector sound-demodulating circuit, at which point the circuit is also substantially solely responsive to changes in incoming, signal strength rather than to frequency. This latter form of the invention is, as will be more fully apparent hereinafter, quite distinct from the use of well known frequency discriminators as the means for developing a frequency control signal dependent upon variation in frequency,"

Additional` objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparentto persons skilled in the art from a study of the following detailed description of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l illustrates, by way of block. and schematic diagram, an intercarrier sound television receiver embodying the principles of the present invention according to one of its forms;

Figure 2 is an intermediate frequency response characteristic to be described in connection with the operation of the invention; i u

Figure 3 is a graphical illustration of the variation in grid voltage of the sound IF amplifier which is a function of local oscillator tuning; and

Figure 4 illustrates another form of theinvention.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Figure l thereof, the composite television signal including a video carrier which is amplitude modulated in accordance with picture information and a frequency modulated sound carrier is applied to a radio frequency (RF) amplifier 10 whose output is, in turn, applied to a conventional first detector or mixer 12. Within mixer 12, the video and sound carrier waves are heterodyned with a wave produced by a local oscillator 14 Whose frequency of oscillation is maintained by suitable frequency control means 16 illustrated as a reactance tube circuit of Well known form.

The resultant IF carrier waves are coupled by means of a double-tuned circuit 18 to the control electrode of a video or commorflF amplifier 20 which is, as shown, of conventional design. The anode 22 of the IF ampliiier is illustrated as being connected through the primary of transformer T1 and resistor 24 to a source of positive operating potential +B. The secondary of transformer T1, in turn, couples the amplified IF waves to an additional IF amplifier 26 Whose output is applied to the video detector 28 where the following functions are carried out: First, the picture information is effectively removed by amplitude-demodulation of ,the video carrier wave and applied to the video amplifier 30. Second, in accordance with well known principles, the amplitude of the synchronizing pulses forming a part of the composite received signal is or may be measured to derive a suitable automatic gain control (AGC) signal by conventional means indicated as block 32. The AGC circuit 32 is or may be coupled to the kcontrol electrodes of `the IF amplifiers 20 and 26, for example, for` the purpose,` of varying the bias on the amplifiers generally in proportion to the strength of the received signal, whereby to increase the gain of amplifiers when a weaker signalrthan* normal is received. Finally, the non-linear characteristic of the video detector 28 serves, as explained in the above cited Parker patent, to heterodyne the two IF waves in such manner thata 4.5 mc. beat note with frequency modulation components is produced, p Merely for purposes of completeness of description, it

may be. noted that the output of the video ampliiier is coupled. to a` conduction. controlling electrode 34 of `an image reproducing kinescope 36 whose electron beam is caused to scan a raster byv means of suitable sawtooth currents.' applied to its electromagnetic deflection. coils 3S; asby/ meansof deflection circuits 4l) which 'are maintained in synchronism with the transmitter through the usual. horizontal. and vertical. synchronizing pulses.

The 4.5. mc. beat produced by the video detector 28'is selected by a resonant soundltakeoifcircuit 42 comprisingA capacitor 44 and' inductance 46 which are tuned to that frequency, The beat note is then applied to the control electrode of a sound IF amplifier 48 whose output isl applied, via the double-tuned circuit Sti, to the control electrode of a final sound IF amplifier 52 which is of conventionaldesign and includes, in .its control electrode circuit, a. capacitor 54 and shunt resistor 56 as a grid return path to` ground. The ratio detector, as will be described morey fully hereinafter, performs1 thefunction. of detecting the., frequencyv modulation components of the sound. IF wave to produce the audio signal which is applied to an audio amplifier 60l'prior to being fed toa loud speaker' 62', for example.

As thus far described, the', apparatus of- Figure 1 is in accordance-with well known intercarrier sound television receivers such as those currently in existence; In order that the principlesof. thepresent invention may b e more fully understood, there is illustrated in Figure 2 the relationship of the video and' sound. carrier waves: frequencies 64 and 68,. respectively, in relationship to` the overall response characteristic of the,common IF amplifiers and 26. These carrier wavey frequencies are, as shown, spaced apart exactlyl 4.5v mc., in accordance with present day television standards. The response characteristic70 is normally such that the video carrier frequency is located at the 50% amplitude point on its sloping side 72, while the soundpIF carrier is at a substantially lower point oni its opposite slope 7'4. Assuming that the` frequency of the local oscillator 14 of Figure l varies somewhat from itsdesired value which may, by way of illustration, he 113 mc. and` in such direction that the video carrier 64. is, in effect, moved downwardly tothe location shown at 64a in Figure 2, it will be appreciated that the sound IF carrier wave- 68, which is necessarily spaced 4.5 mc. therefrom, is similarly moved to a higher amplitude point such as that shown by the dotted line 68a. For the rather small change in frequency denoted by the moved lines 64 and 68, it would appear that the change in response for the two carrier waves is not particularly great. This, however, is found tobe untrue, by reason of the fact that the receivers automatic gain control circuits actin such manner as to aid the above described action. That is to say, the automatic gain control circuit 32 will experience, because of the mistuning of the local oscillator 14, the same stimulus that occurs wheny a weaker signal than normal is; being received. Thus, the AGC circuit will apply a lessv negative bias to the control electrodes of the IF amplifiers 20 and 26 in order to increase their gain in such manner as to overcome or compensate for the reduction in signal strength. Such AGC action has the effect; ofchangingv the amplitude responsefrom the solid li'ne curve shown .at 70v to the .dotted line curve 70a which is substantially a vertical expansion lofthe former curve such that the videoV IF carrier 64a is located at approximately the 50%` yamplitude point of the slope 72. As a result of the preceding action, however, theV sound IF carrier frequency 68aA is now seen. to be located at a stillv higher point on` the new' slope 74a of the overall response characteristic.

This interrelated 4action of the tuning vand AGC circuits may bei translated into terms ofl thev grid currentv of the Iinalfsound'- IFv amplifienSZ, as illustrated by curve 76-off Figure 3 whereinfthere is plotted voltage at point v A (Figure 1) as' a function of variation in fine tuning of the local oscillator i4. The correct level of such voltage is indicated by reference line 78 at the intersection of curve 76 at the line t) which represents line tuning of the local oscillator. More specifically, in accordance with the above explanation with respect to the showing of Figure 2, when the local oscillator i4 is mistuned in such manner that reference line Si) is moved to the left, the grid voltage reference line 78 will similarly be moved to a greater amplitude point. The result of such action is that the negative voltage at point A resulting from increased grid current in the amplifier 52 will be increased, thereby charging capacitor 82 in Figure l more negatively. This negative signal is therefore available on lead 84 for application to the frequency control circuit 16. The frequency control circuit employed does not constitute a part of the present invention and may, therefore, take any well known form, such as the reactance tube circuit shown which. is described and claimed in US. Patent 2,544,311, granted to T. L. Gottier, March 6', 1951. in its operation, the reactance tube ll7acts as a shunt inductance to lower the frequency of the oscillator in response to an increased negative signal on lead 84 (where the local oscillator frequency is above the incoming radio` frequency, as is the usual case). The oscillator shown4 in Figure l is of the well known Hartley type. Another form of frequency control means which may be employed in block i6 is the variable capacitor described and claimed in U.S. Patent 2,526,207, granted to H. L. Donley et al., October 17, 1950. Insofar `as the present invention. and its operation are concerned, however, it is sufhcient to note that changing grid current ofthe final IF amplifier 52 as a function of varying tuning of a local oscillator 14 is in a predetermined direction. for mistuning in a given direction. Conversely, assuming that the tuning of the local oscillator M'is changed so that the fine tuning. reference line 8i) of Figure 3 is moved. to the right, the voltage reference line 78 will drop to a. lower amplitude. ln other words, this latter mistuning will cause less grid current to flow in. IF amplifier 52 with the result that the negative voltage at point A in its grid` circuit will decrease. This decrease in voltage in point A will, in turn, be reflected by the discharging of capacitor 82, thereby producing. a control signal on lead 84 in the opposite direction from that previously described.

As has been stated supra, the sensitivity of the signal producing means including the grid. circuit of IF amplifier 52. is aided by the action of the AGC circuits ofthe receiver. Thus, it should be noted that, assuming a mistuning of reference line to the right in Figure 3 with a resultant drop in grid current and reduced negative voltage at point A (in. Figure 1) which corresponds toan increased Vamplitude response for the video signal, the AGC. circuit 32 will tend to decrease the gain of the receiver IF amplifiers 20 and .26, until the video carrier is at its proper amplitude thus effectively decreasing the error voltage signal available at point A. ThisadditionajfordedV by the AGC action to the error signal available at the grid of the IF lamplifier 52 therefore aids the AFC apparatus of the present invention by making its sensitivity to mistuning extremely responsive to small changes in oscillator mistuning.

Asa further addition to the action of the apparatus as thus far described, there is included a connection of lead 86 to the upper terminal of resistor 24 or some selected point therein. (As will be understood, movement of the connection downwardly toward the B+ terminal decreases the amount of signal available to lead 86.) The lead 86 includes a resistor 88 which is joined to' one end of potentiometer titl, the other end of this potentiometer being connected via resistor 92 to point A. The action of resistor 92 and potentiometer 90, as will be understood by those skilled in the art, is that of varying the amountv of signal appliedV via lead 84 to the frequency lQontrol circuitA i5 by the voltage dropping action of the resistances. The purpose of connecting lead 86 to resistor '24 may be explained as follows: since IF amplier is subject to AGC action as above described, the voltage at the junction oflead 86 and resistor 24 will vary as a function `of `the AGC action and in such manner that, `whenthe AGC circuit serves to increase the `gain `of amplifier V20, the increased current flow through resistor 24 will render point B less positive than `its normal potential. In terms of the automatic frequency control function of the present invention, assuming that local oscillator 1d is mistuned in such manner as to produce an increase 'in the voltage at point a (i.e. moving the `reference line in Figure 3 to the left), the eii'ect on the video `carrier wave frequency will be opposite thereto. In other words, the amplitude response for the `video carrier will decrease. This will, in turn, cause the automatic gain control circuit 32 to increase the gain of `the common IF amplifier 20 which causes a drop in its plate voltage and `this drop, as reflected through resistor 83 and `potentiometer 90, will be in an aid sense to the signal produced at point A. The connection of potentiometer and resistor 88 to point B may be employed advantageously where some compensation in tuning `for weak signals is required. ln accordance with anotherfform of the invention, and in recognition of the fact that the screen voltage of amplier 20 will also vary in proportion to-its plate voltage, resistor 88may be connected via lead 86 to the screen grid at point B. In thislatter form the value of resistor 88 would be changed in order to compensate `for the diiierence in voltages available at the plate and screen grid of the tube. While the connection to the plate or screen grid of the AGC controlled amplitier provides beneficial results'heretofore not` contemplated, satisfactory operation of the invention may be had by returning lead d6 to a point of iixed potential.

In accordance with another form of the invention and one which is well suited for use in receivers having low gain, this tuning signal voltage is derived from another point in the conventional circuitry of an intercarrier sound receiver. As stated earlier, the receiver illustrated in Figure 1 employs a ratio detector 58 for separating the sound signal from the 4.5 rnc. intermediate frequency wave. Figure 4 is a block and schematic diagram of an intercarrier sound television receiver, showing the circuitry of a ratio detector in its usual environment. Those parts of the apparatus of Figure 4 which correspond to portions of Figure l bear the same reference numerals so that their description need not be repeated.

The theory and operation of a ratio detector are described at length in an article entitled The Ratio Detector by S. W. Seeley and I. Avins which appeared in the June 1947 issue of the RCA Review at page 201 et seq. Brieliy, however, the ratio detector 58 includes a Winding 96 which is closely coupled to inductive winding 98 in the output circuit of the final sound IF ampliiier, one end of winding 96 being connected to a point intermediate the ends of a secondary winding 100. Winding 96 is less tightly coupled to winding 100 than it is to Winding 9S. Across Winding 100 is a capacitor 102 which tunes the winding to the center frequency of 4.5 mc., in this case. The upper end of Winding is connected to the cathode of a diode 104 while the bottom end of that winding is connected to the anode of a second diode 106. Each diode has a load resistor 108 and 110, respectively, the junction of the load resistors being connected to ground, as illustrated. Also connected across the diodes are capacitors 112 and 114 in series with each other, the junction of the capacitors being connected to the end of winding 96 remote from the first mentioned end thereof. At the junction of Winding 96 and the lead connected between capacitors 112 and 114 is the sound output terminal 116 which is, in turn,` coupled to the audio amplilier 60. Connected across the load resistors 108 and 110 is a large capacitor 118l `described Vin `the Seeley `et al. `article as a `stabilizing capacitor `for rendering the ratio detector substantially unresponsive to amplitude changes of the incoming signal coupled to the detector via Winding 96. While the ratio detector is, as understood by those skilled in the art, not responsive to amplitude variations inthe received wave but `is designed to provide across resistors 103 and 110, respectively, voltages which are in the ratio ofthe voltage in inductance 96 and the upper half of Winding 100 to the Voltage in inductance 96 andthe lower half of winding 1010, diodes 104 and 106 are driven harder by increased signals and less by decreased signals. That is to say, with increasing `signal strength in winding 100, diodes 104 and 106 will draw more current through their serially connected load 'resistors 10S and 110. Conversely when the amplitude of the signal wave applied to the ratio detector decreases, the current drawn by the diodes through `their load resistors will decrease. By reason of the changing diode current as a function of signal strength Variation, the voltage at point C will also vary in the same manner. Thus, assuming an increase in signal strength, the voltage drop across .resistor 103 will increase, to render `point C `in more negative than it is for normal signal strength, while a `decreased signal will render point C less negative than normal.

In 'View of the foregoing, it should now be apparent that, since the tuned circuit comprising winding 100 and capacitor 102 is resonant at the 4.5 mc. beat frequency, mistuning of the local oscillator will produce a change in the strength of the signal applied to the ratio detector. More explicitly, if the local oscillator 14 is mistuned in such manner that the reference line S0 `(Figure 3) is eiectively moved to the right, the ratio detector will experience a drop in the amplitude of the signal applied to it, with the result that the current through the diodes 1.04 and 106 Will decrease, thereby rendering point AC less negative than normal.

Hence, according to this form of the invention, instead of connecting the potentiometer 90 to point A in the grid circuit of the iinal sound IF amplifier 52 as in the apparatus of Figure l, the potentiometer is connected via lead 120 to point C in the ratio detector. Aside from changing the values of the resistors 92, 90 and 8S to compensate for the difference in signal produced at point C as opposed to that available at point A, no further changes are necessary in the circuit and its operation is substantially the same as that described with respect to the rst embodiment.

From the foregoing, *those skilled in the art will recognize the fact that the present invention provides simplified automatic frequency control apparatus well suited for use in conjunction with an intercarrier sound superheterodyne television receiver, which apparatus receives signals regarding conditions of mistuning of the receivers local oscillator from points existing in conventional circuitry. By way of summary, in accordance with one form of the invention, the signal as to mistuning is derived from the grid circuit of the final sound IF amplifier while, according to another form of the invention the signal is #taken from the load resistor of the receivers ratio detector. Both forms of the invention have in common the fact that the control signal is produced at a point in a circuit which is responsive susbtantially solely to the amplitude of a signal applied to it. Moreover, in both forms of the invention, the direction of oscillator mistuning is aided by the automatic gain control action conventionally employed in present-day television receivers.

Having thus described my invention, "what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A receiver for translating two received carrier waves separated by a fixed frequency one of which Waves is frequency modulated by intelligence signals, which receiver comprises: a first detector including a local oscillator for producing a separate intermediate frequency carrier :aa-391,105l

.wave corresponding to each of said received Waves, said separate intermediate frequency Waves being separated by said xed frequency; frequency controlling means coupled to said oscillator and capable of varying its frequency of oscillation; `mixing means for heterodyning said separate intermediate frequency Waves to produce a wave frequency modulated in accordance with the frequency modulation of said one of said received carrier waves and havingV a center frequency equal to said fixed frequency; an electrical signal processing channel having a tuned circuit tuned to said fixedr frequency; means coupling said mixing means to said channel; a ratio detector having a load resistance for demodulating said produced frequency modulated wave connected in said channel and coupled to said tuned circuit, the direct current through which load resistance varies in proportion to the amplitude of the Wave passed by said tuned circuit such that a point on said load resistance varies unidirectionally in potential responsive to variations in the amplitude of a signal passed by said tuned circuit for producing a control signal proportional to such passed signal amplitude, and means coupling such point on said load resistance to said oscillator frequency controlling means whereby to vary the frequency of said oscillator as a function of the amplitude of said passed signal.

2. In an intercarrier sound television receiver adapted to receive at least two carrier Waves separated by a fixed frequency one of such Waves being frequency modulated by intelligence to be detected, said receiver having means for heterodyning such carrier Waves with a wave produced by a local oscillator to produce corresponding intermediate frequency Waves separated by said fixed frequency, amplifier means common to both such intermediate frequencies, automatic gain control means for varying the gain of said amplier means in inverse proportion to the strength of such waves, and means for heterodyning such separate intermediate frequency Waves to produce a beat frequency having a center frequency equal to said fixed frequency and being frequency modulated in accordance with the frequency modulation of said one of said carrier Wave, automatic frequency control apparatus which comprises: means coupled to said oscillator for varying its frequency in response to a control signal; a signal processing channel coupled to said second-named heterodyning means and including a tuned circuit whose resonant frequency is equal to said beat frequency; said channel also including ratio detector means to derive the modulating signal therefrom coupled to said tuned circuit and having a load resistance the direct voltage across which proportional to the amplitude of a signal passed by said tuned circuit; and means for applying the direct voltage across said ratio detector load resistance to said oscillator frequency controlling means to vary the frequency of said oscillator as a function of the amplitude of such signal passed by said tuned circuit.

References Cited in the le of this patent y UNITED STATES PATENTS v OTHER REFERENCES Rider: Television Manual, Volume 2, Philco Corp. TV, pp. 2-75 and 2-76, copyrighted 1949.

Rider: Television Manual, volume 2, Philco Corp. TV, pp. 2-131 and 2-132, copyrighted 1949. 

